Month: July 2022

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San Marcos Cat Issue

San Marcos is home for many indigenous fish and animals. Yet, there are other animals here that wouldn’t benefit the same from the beautiful rivers and infrastructure. Many people would like to argue cats can be an indoor and outdoor animal to allow their hunting instincts to be fulfilled. Some do not realize that these animals have been bread for our needs and can no longer happily live full lives outdoors in the world we’ve created. Outdoor cats are actually viewed detrimental to the ecosystem and global biodiversity. While there are working cat programs that will benefit pest control on farms this still brings my attention back to the limit lifespan these babies could have.

During my junior year attending Texas State, I lived in a suburbs of San Marcos Texas. It was actually only two minutes away from San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter. In that time I had seen more strays than I have encountered in any city or metroplex. Most of which were all not neutered or spayed, and many were friendly enough for petting, love and even a home. In a five month time span, I had rescued over six cats from just my single block.

Lucky was one of the first cats we rescued. I was walking my friend to her car around 9pm one fall night, when we heard a cat crying in the storm drain. I thought it might have been one of the older strays we feed in need of medical attention. I put my flashlight down there to find only a three week old kitten searching for his mom.  After trying to feed him by tossing food down the drain while he was fending off other strays, I told him I’d be back for him in the morning. There he was. Waiting for my return, knowing he found the right person; still crying for help, a meal and a good hug. I called the shelter to see if they could help rescue him. They explain they have no jurisdiction to go underground and that they had already had many reports in our neighborhood a few nights ago from other people blocks away. He had journeyed all the way to the other side of his neighborhood searching and crying for his mom and siblings. They said “you are just going to let him find his mom”. This was heart breaking. The odds for this cat were all against him. I decided to take things into my own hands with no prior rescue knowledge. I called the fire department and they explain they need the animal control to call them to approve. Which I found upsetting because the animal control said they could do nothing when in reality they could have. I told the nice correspondent the lack of care for this animal and that we would claim it as our own if they help us. She kindly sent a team over to me. Five firefighters and I got flashlights ladders and many different tools to go down and grab this baby.

Lucky is now almost one year old. He inspired a huge part of my heart to rescue animals. It was here, I realized that our shelters only have so many resources to help. Especially with the  surge of cats in San Marcos. It is our job as a community to help if we want to see change. Yet, what is the issue? Well after finding lucky, I began going on walks around my neighborhood to check out how many cats really are here. It was then I found a house with over six cats hanging outside, without neutering, flea medicine or vaccinations.  This was my second accidental rescue. Koda decided to follow me home that day all the way down the block. One of the neighbor of the cat house said, “yeah you can take those cats, the lady won’t mind”. I picked him up scared of him getting hit by a car. Instantly he cuddled on me knowing he’s about to be with his new mom, my bestfriend Dani. After taking him to vet we found out he had worms and was very skinny from eating a flea. We got him neutered and all in good health.

Koda gave me so much insight into what was happening in my neighborhood. A month later I grabbed two more cats from this house, just before the winter storm with the owners knowledge and acceptance. At first, I was nervous this lady, who’s identity I will protect, was going to be mad for taking her cats but it was here I found out she has many more inside. She loves cats and she is constantly having litters of them which makes her have to put many outside. I understand her love for these animals. Every single cat from her house was loving. Yet, many of them that were outside that I was not able to rescue would be seen in the neighborhood with injuries, sickness and pregnant way too early for them to have a healthy pregnancy.

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While yes, the issue can start there, other neighbors in Blanco Gardens didn’t like the mass amounts of cats in the street. Along my cat rescue journey, I met Sarah. A women who has sustained many brain surgeries and lives on disability making it her soul purpose to help San Marcos cats. She has seen so many cats in our neighborhood shot with bebe guns, hit by cars and severely mistreated. This extended my fear for these babies. The issue isn’t just that animal control lacks resources. The issue isn’t just people’s lack of pet knowledge. The issue is constant. The issue is a community issue. These cats have many odds against them. I think while yes, this is a temporary home for many college students, it is also becoming a temporary home for way too many cats. We love San Marcos and our river. I think it’s important to extend our care for these little guys we see on every block. Next time you see a black cat cross your car, don’t be superstitious. Instead remind yourself of Lucky; a cat still crying for help, a meal and a good hug.

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The Truth About Family Vloggers

Over the past year, I have found a new love for Youtube. Youtube has become one of the most popular social media apps in today’s age, with no signs of decline anytime soon. The videos I initially watched were family vloggers, but with a deeper dive into Youtube, I learned the negative effects of these channels. 

Child’s Wellbeing

When a parent creates content revolving around their children, the child’s well-being becomes the second priority while money takes the lead. Often times these videos are made at the expense of a child’s emotional, or sometimes even physical, well-being. For example, one father vlogger, Cordero James Brady, racked up millions of views and subscribers by pranking his children. However, he made headlines when one prank went too far. The viral video showed him feeding his children ice cream laced with laxatives. He continues to record them as they sit in the bathroom, crying out in pain. 

Fortunately, many viewers noticed the child abuse happening and led to the immediate cancellation of this Youtuber. On the other hand, there are still thousands of parents on the internet exposing their children to the same abuse and not getting repercussions. Most people see how these channels are causing problems, but they don’t realize the toll it has on a child and the consequences it will have later in life. Another family channel under fire last year was 8 Passengers for the questionable ways they punish their children. Their second oldest child, Chad, was sent to the Anasazi Foundation Wilderness Therapy Program for ten weeks for behavioral issues. This well-known program has had many controversies around it and the child abuse that occurs at this camp. 

Once Chad was back, he almost immediately lost access to his bedroom and had to sleep on a beanbag for six months for pulling a prank on his younger brother. In a video posted about this, the 15-year-old explained how he had no friends, and no one at his school wanted to talk to him. The content posted about him and the consequences made by their parents is causing a mental and emotional toll on this child.

Privacy/Consent

In addition to a child’s wellness being jeopardized, their privacy and consent are taken away with each video posted. Many of these family channels have gained some of their highest views on videos about their daughters hitting puberty, bra shopping, and menstrual cycles. It raises the question of where the boundaries are with some of these channels, and are these kids old enough to be able to give consent to these videos?

First, let’s focus on privacy. Having millions of people know when a little girl has hit puberty and watching them experience their first-time bra shopping gives children almost no privacy. These topics are some of the most private– and sometimes embarrassing– things for a young girl to go through; therefore, they should not be made into content for others to watch. On another note, some of the people watching these videos are watching them for the wrong reasons. Focusing on the analytics of some of the most popular Youtube pages, approximately 70 percent of males, especially those between the ages of 18-44, watch these videos. 

It is concerning to think that these men are watching videos about young girls getting their first periods and learning how to shave. More so, it should be even more concerning that parents are exploiting their children’s privacy without regard to who may be watching. Nonetheless, there should be more guidelines on Youtube’s terms to prevent the exposure of children in this way. 

Another idea to bring up is the age of consent and informed consent. One excuse many of these channels have for exploiting their children is that the child gave them consent to record and post them. However, a very young child cannot give informed consent because they honestly probably don’t understand exactly what they are consenting to. 

These children are also unaware at a young age of the effects this will have on them later in adulthood. Once the child is old enough to get a job, their employer will look them up and see hundreds of videos from their childhood. Not to mention, videos about getting their periods and bra shopping is not something most people want their employers to see. In addition, many children of Youtubers grow up and speak out about their experiences growing up and consistently having a camera shoved in their face. These children have also mentioned their lack of consent and privacy in these videos and the effects it had on them in school, public, and a professional setting. 

In conclusion, it is important to be protecting children from the risks of Youtube and having their lives posted all over social media for money. Rather than teach children it is okay to grow up filming everything they do, let’s teach children the risks of the internet and hide them from the predators out there. The internet is a scary place and having no sense of privacy opens the door for millions to know everything about these kids when they are as young as a newborn. Children should be able to live a normal childhood and grow up without worrying about the repercussions of their parent’s actions. Audiences can do their part by not supporting these channels and educating themselves more on the negative impact family channels have. Let’s make the internet a safer, more mature space and protect young children from the internet.

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A Comedy Doesn’t Always Have to Make You Laugh

The entertainment industry has something for everyone when it comes to music, television, and movies. But comedy has been a genre for these mediums for as long as I can remember. Every time I watch or listen to something that is put in the group comedy, I know I am going to laugh and make myself happy. Although, some things that are put in the comedy genre can also make me feel a wave of other emotions. Three specific things come into my mind when I think of a comedy that hasn’t made me feel joy. But has made feel things like sadness, fear, or anger. There is a musician, a television show, and a movie that are considered comedies that have made me feel something other than happiness.

Many people do not think of comedy as a genre of music, but there are musical comedians. Bo Burnham is a musician who performs comedic songs that I laugh at. But there are some songs that he has performed that have made me burst into tears. Bo Burnham has been performing musical comedy for years. but I didn’t know who he was until I heard him on Apple Music. A friend told me to listen to him, and I instantly loved what he had to say and sing about. The first few songs I listened to made me laugh hard, then I kept listening. In 2021 Burnham, put out a musical comedy show that he wrote, filmed, and edited 2020. I was expecting some joyfulness in the hard times most of us had during the COVID-19 pandemic. He did perform songs that made me laugh, but he also did some songs that hit a hard emotional core. This comedy was called INSIDE. The song that put me into tears was called All Eyes On Me. At its core, this song showed how the pandemic had a hard impact on Bo’s life and it’s okay to go through that. Below is that song (Explicit Warning).

Television has been a medium for many people who love entertainment. Comedy has been on the silver screen for many decades, and it will continue to dominate in the industry for years to come. A tv show that I have always loved in the comedy genre is Scrubs. This show ran for nine seasons, with the lead role as the talented Zach Braff. After season seven the show got canceled by NBC but was picked up for another season by ABC. Scrubs was a comedic look at doctors working in a hospital. It was kind of like a less serious version of Grey’s Anatomy. In my personal opinion, Scrubs is better than Grey’s Anatomy because it has a light-hearted take on what doctors go through as they work in a hospital and it wasn’t life-changing in every episode. Most people who have seen Scrubs usually laugh at what the characters go through, but there are some serious moments that the series tackles.

The episode of Scrubs I watched that made me feel something other than joy was called My Old Lady. It was the fourth episode of season one, so it was early on in the series. The episode had the realization that not everyone survives going to the hospital. It showed the three main characters go through the loss of their patients that they were residing over that episode. When I first watched this episode, I realized that life isn’t always going to work out in your favor. Some people die and sometimes it is hard to understand, as long as you know you tried to do everything you can to help. I never thought that a sitcom would make me feel these types of fear and loss.

In my opinion, music and television are fantastic, but movies are my favorite medium in the entertainment industry. Movies have always been my go-to activity when I have some free time on my hands. I have seen hundreds of movies and I have collected every movie ticket I have gone to go see since 2015. A comedy movie is something people usually watch with friends because laughing together makes it better. But, in my case, I will watch a comedy by myself. One movie that was put in the comedy genre that made me feel all types of other emotions is The Truman Show. The Truman Show is a movie that shows the main character staring at a tv show that was built around his whole life, but he doesn’t know it. Everyone around the world watches this show in the movie, and the man in the show thinks that his life is perfectly normal. Who else but Jim Carry could star in a movie that has this premise. No spoilers for this movie of course. But this movie made me feel like you can get out of something that you have been stuck in your whole life without even knowing you’re stuck. Below is the trailer for The Truman Show.

Now every time I watch or listen to something that is considered a comedy, I try to notice things that would have other emotions. Not everything is as it seems, including genres of music, television, and movies.

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Lets Talk Virtual Dinosaurs

The video game Ark: Survivor Evolved is a game where players fight for survival against dinosaurs and other mythical creatures. The game is available for many console users as well as PC gamers. I have spent many hours exploring a few of the many maps that the game has to offer yet I have barely scratched the surface of what it all has to offer. Currently there are eleven maps for those who dare to approach this carnal experience. Survival games are all the rage in recent years. A survivor game called Valheim broke steam records when released. Although Ark: Survivor Evolved has been out since 2015, there are many people who enjoy playing the game. Studio Wildcard, the creators of the game, have continued to release new maps for players as well as a season pass that offer exclusive access to certain maps and creatures.  

The first time I got a glimpse at the gameplay was on one of my friend’s Instagram stories. Her character was riding on the back of some sort of flying dinosaur—possibly a Pteranodon—and all I could think was “How freaking cool! I want to ride on a dinosaur!” As it turns out, there is a lot of progress that a player must make before being able to attain any creature. When I finally downloaded the game, I had a tough time. As you can imagine, the area you first spawn in is scattered with many dinosaurs that want to eat you. Prior to picking up the game I had no experience with survival games. Thankfully, I played the game on a live twitch stream because I was able to get a morsel of help. I spent the first three hours trying to build a shelter and craft weapons and clothing to protect myself from predators. I cannot even think about the number of times I died before someone watching my stream loaded in to help me. I eventually gained another helper, and we started a tribe. With help we were able to build a solid base and tame some dinosaurs. That day I streamed and played for almost 13 hours. I burned myself out on the game or just had more interest in other games at the time because I did not play it again for a year or so. 

A few months ago, I decided to pick the game up again. I started to stream my gameplay and started to learn how to play the game better overall. This has made the game so much more enjoyable to play. I created characters for different servers and maps. There are two kinds of servers: Player Versus Player (PVP) or Player Versus Everyone (PVE). In my experience the game is exponentially more difficult on a PVP server, especially when you are playing alone or with a small tribe. There are many players that play the game a lot and level up quickly. I learned this the hard way. I spent 10 hours on a server with two of my friends. We made decent progress. The next time I hopped on to play, two enemy players found our base and destroyed everything in a matter of minutes. I felt like walking away from the game forever, but I persevered. I decided not to play on PVP servers anymore.  

There are different modes for servers but there are also official and unofficial servers that can modify many aspects of the game. For PC players, anyone can run a server. There are all types of modifications, such as radioactive dinosaurs and exploding dodo birds. Recently a friend invited me to play on a modified server and I enjoy it more than playing on official. You can level up faster, create custom skins for clothing and creatures and more. Additionally, the official servers can cause players to lag. Despite the issues the official servers may have, the game is worth checking out if you are into survival games and dinosaurs and many other mythical creatures such as unicorns and wyverns. 

Studio Wildcard has released a new DLC map for the game this year! I watched some YouTube videos to get a sneak peek before playing and I could not be more excited to put in some hours. The map is called “Fjordur” and has a Viking theme. Unlike some of the DLC maps, it is free. The official release was June 11th. In addition to releasing a new map for the game, Wildcard has announced they will be releasing Ark II by some time next year, and an animated series based on the Ark game. Vin Diesel will be executive producer on the series and is also in the trailer for the second game. This is an extremely exciting year for Studio Wildcard and for the many fans who enjoy playing with virtual dinosaurs.